My thoughts on the Phillies season.

The Phils offense give Cole Hamels his career-high 17th win as they defeat the Marlins, 4-1.

The Phils took the lead in the first as, with two men on, and with nobody out, Chase Utley hits a sacrifice fly, scoring Jimmy Rollins, who had started the game off with a walk, then reached third base on Juan Pierre’s single, as he beat center fielder Gorkys Hernandez’s throw, while Pierre would move up to second base on the throw, just beating the throw to second base, giving the Phils a 1-0 lead. The Phils then took a 2-0 lead as Carlos Ruiz hits an RBI double, easily scoring Pierre. The Phils then added to their lead two batters later as, with Ruiz still on second base, as he just got back to second base as shortstop Jose Reyes’ throw to second base, after he had caught Dom Brown’s line drive for the inning’s second out, went wide of the bag, and with two men out, Nate Schierholtz hits an RBI single, knocking in Ruiz, giving the Phils a 3-0 lead. The Marlins tried to get on the scoreboard in the fourth as, with runners on second and third, and with one man out, Bryan Petersen, who had earlier singled, then stopped at third base on Reyes’ double, tried to score on Giancarlo Stanton’s grounder to third, but is tagged out at the plate by catcher Ruiz, thanks to an excellent throw home by third baseman Pete Orr, for a 5-2 fielder’s choice out, as Stanton reached first base on the play, while Reyes, who had earlier doubled, stayed at second base. One batter later, after Cole Hamels had committed a throwing error as he tried to pick off Reyes at second base, allowing both Reyes and Stanton to move up a base, with runners once again on second and third, and now with two men out, the Marlins finally got on the scoreboard as Carlos Lee hits an RBI single, making it a 3-1 Phils’ lead as Reyes scores, but, as Stanton tries to score as well, he is thrown out at home thanks to a strong throw by right fielder Brown, 9-2, as Ruiz applies the tag, for the inning’s final out. The Phils added an insurance run in the eighth as, with runners on the corners, and with nobody out, Brown hits a sacrifice fly, knocking in Utley, who had started the inning off with a single, then stopped at third base on Ruiz’s single, giving the Phils a 4-1 lead. That would end up being the final as Jonathan Papelbon recorded his thirty-eighth save of the season as he pitched a scoreless ninth.

Cole Hamels (17-6, 3.05) got the win as he went seven innings, giving up a run on five hits and a walk, while striking out eight. Antonio Bastardo collected his twenty-sixth hold of the year as he threw a 1-2-3 inning, striking out two. Jonathan received his thirty-eighth save of the year as he pitched a scoreless inning, giving up two hits, while striking out two. Nathan Eovaldi (4-13, 4.30) took the lost as he pitched six innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out seven. Dan Jennings pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a walk, while striking out a batter. Mike Dunn pitched a third of an inning, giving up a run on three hits. Ryan Webb would pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up no runs or hits. Heath Bell pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a batter.

The Phils had nine hits in the game, with Carlos Ruiz (RBI) leading the team with three hits, two singles and a double, followed by Nate Schierholtz (RBI) with two singles. Juan Pierre, Chase Utley (RBI), Darin Ruf and Pete Orr had the other four Phils’ hits, all singles. Dom Brown knocked in the final Phil’s run with a sacrifice fly. The Phils also had two walks in the ballgame.

The Phils (80-79, 3rd) will play their final series of the 2012 season against the Nats (96-63, 1st), starting with a night game tonight. The game will be played at Nationals Park and is to start at 7:05 pm EDT. The Phils will send to the mound Kyle Kendrick (10-12, 4.08), who is coming off a lost against the Nats on September 26, as he lasted only two innings, giving up four runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out a batter, in the Phils’ 8-4 lost. He will be trying to end 2012 with a good start. The Nats will counter with John Lannan (4-0, 4.23), who is coming off a win against the Phils on September 26, as he went five and two-thirds innings, giving up two runs on five hits and a walk, while striking out three, in the Nats’ 8-4 win. He’ll be going for his third straight win against the Phils. The Phils will be out to keep the Nats from winning the division tonight.

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